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>> faq or the action, did colonel gaddafi really make an offer to stand down to opposition rebels? the train comes as gaddafi forces continue to launch airstrikes on a town held by the rebels. welcome to "gmt." we have a world of news and opinion. also in the program, at least 20 people are killed and more than 100 injured after a massive car bomb explodes in a pakistani city. it is international women's day. we look at the roles that women

have played in recent uprisings across the arab world. midday in london, 7:00 a.m. in washington, 2:00 p.m. in the be aware there are unconfirmed reports that colonel gaddafi spoke with rebels about standing down. a spokesman for the national libyan council claims that they had been approached by an envoy for gaddafi. meanwhile, nato has increased their coverage over libya. government forces are reported to have launched fresh air strikes over london. emily has this report. >> this is now the front line in the east. the loose knit rebels are under fire from the air.

they try and resist with anti- aircraft weaponry. the desert battle shifts back and forth along this line, the main east-west highway. colonel gaddafi's forces have been bombing it. the rebels have been forced out after eight years in government offensive on sunday night. in the relative safety to the east, doctors are treating dozens of injured fighters. one man described how he was wounded. he said that the military with shooting the rebels with machine guns. away from the shifting sands of battle are swirling rumors about the libyan leader. rumors that he is to negotiate an exit with rebels. a spokesman for the national libyan council said they would not speak with a leader they do

not trust. in washington, president obama is attempting to put more pressure on the leader. >> we have a wide range of options, including potential military options. >> the white house has spelled them out in more detail. >> humanitarian assistance is being actively discussed. >> britain and france have already drafted a resolution calling for a no-fly. back in the desert, the rebels are pausing to plan their next move. >> in the last hour, a spokesperson for the national libyan transition council told

this channel that the gaddafi regime has not made a direct approach. >> there has not been direct contact. this could just be contact -- a plan by the regime to spread rumors amidst the national congress. but some sort of overture has come and we are not sure who with his from more what the content is. >> we will be back in the capital in just a moment. first, john in been gauzy. who has approached who when it comes to this offer? >> what i am hearing from opposition for sources, not confirmed on the record, gaddafi

supporters here and senior officials close to the colonel were on the telephone, trying to make a deal that would involve a libyan parliament meeting, affectively. colonel gaddafi would be stepping down and be given safe passage and immunity from prosecution. it was never a formal approach, which is what i am told. affectively they are the provisional government. the situation over the last half-hour is that the spokesman for the national council spoke to the crowd here. he did not confirm the offer, but he made it clear that no negotiations were possible and that they just wanted colonel gaddafi to go and they were confident that he would go soon.

the national council believes that this is an attempt to divide them using unpopular negotiations. hoff >> thank you for that. back to tripoli, we are hearing that the onslaught against the rebels is continuing. what is the situation there? >> the government is feeling increasingly confident that the overwhelming firepower is helping not only to consolidate its support in its hold on a western and central bolivia, they think they are breaking down resistance to the east. the problem is that it is very difficult to divide what is true, conjecture, and pure propaganda. i think that the message from the libyan government of crushing the opposition, we know from our correspondents on the ground that that is not the

case. they also denied that the colonel with stan deleon orleans -- stand down or leave. they say he has no official position to stand down from. as it is a committee that runs the country. but colonel gaddafi is making no sign of standing down or rubbing pushing power whatsoever. the sense on the ground is that of a stalemate across the country. of course, things might be happening behind the scenes. certainly with discussions between tribal leaders and the government and if they persuade more of them to join their side. it is a very important situation as it becomes increasingly difficult for those here in tripoli to report accurately about what is going on.

>> to reiterate, there is this feeling that gaddafi and his forces are determined to continue their assault against rebels. >> indeed, the government does have an advantage here. we are going to have to wait and see. for the time being, the west will came back a few bits of support. of course, the defenders and anti-government rebels think otherwise. >> thank you, david. getting more detail on this power struggle, we have with us in the be a journalist.

welcome, thank you for joining me. there is confusion about what is going the opposition, the gaddafi camp, and the public. what is your impression? >> there was a former prime minister, a well-known men in libya, he came on television. he started talking about the tragic situation in libya. he introduced himself as someone who was very loyal to gaddafi and his revolution. he said that what is happening in libya is tragic and open to foreign intervention, so on and so on. he simply said that.

he went on, apparently, behind the scenes to phone a few friends in tripoli. lawyers, judges, whenever, who have contact with the council. saying that you must come together and dialogue. so, when this arrived, the head of the council himself came up and said that we would like to talk, but only about one thing. it is held gaddafi is going to leave the country. >> so, nothing about the fighting or stopping other libyans? >> they think that by his leaving the country, that would be preliminary to stopping the fighting in the bloodshed.

>> when you see -- they're pushing the ideas of dialogue. they are trying to get out and escape the formula of libya. they cannot sustain the push for independence for very long. but this is a failure on his part. the situation in tripoli is very diabolical. he has no other way except to leave the country to its people. >> thank you very much. do you remember call all of the latest news is on our web site.

you can interact with our maps, learn about the infrastructure in libya, and of course get our reports from the correspondence we have across the region. bbc.com/news. time to take a look at other headlines. the taliban has claimed responsibility for a car bomb that killed 20 people and injured 120. set off at a natural gas filling station, it caused gas cylinders to explode. that was supposedly to avenge the death of a colleague that died last year. our correspondent is there. paula, good to see you. this is a major event in recent

months, a ramping up of these attacks? >> this is part of a continuing process and pattern. rarely more than one week goes by about a significant attack. it is a familiar kind of attack in an unfamiliar place. until now it had been relatively quiet. the taliban carried out this large car bombing and there are fears that the death tolls could rise as the injured are in critical condition. they do say that the target of the car bomb was the pakistani spy agency. there was a headquarters right behind the filling station that exploded. the taliban said that they were seeking revenge for one of their members that died last year.

this does mean that the taliban paws bloody footprint has spread even farther and another area of pakistan, previously untouched, joining the long list of places affected by bombs. >> thank you very much. 23-year-old workers have been abducted by gunmen in eastern colombia. workers have been thought to have been seared by by rebel group with a strong presence in the area. reports are that they are being taken deeper into the jungle by canoe. talks between the serbian and costs seven governments today -- kosovo government today. both sides have agreed to bring

an end to the spread in conflict. still to come, how are arab women being affected by the unrest of their region? this is international women's day. america's highest-paid television actor, charlie sheen, has been sacked after an outburst by the start and revelations of off-screen drugs and sex. warner brothers said that they made the decision after careful consideration. >> this comes after weeks of bizarre behavior by charlie sheen, going on american talk shows, breakfast shows, chat shows, criticizing his former brought -- former bosses. last week they said the show was

effectively on hold. now we have heard from a statement that the services of charlie sheen on "two and a half man" have been terminated who was involved in an altercation with his estranged wife. but he now claims, and has said so in recent appearances, that his behavior is extremely bizarre. he was americans highest television -- highest paid television star. it is a big question as to whether he could never be replaced.

the series has been on the air for eight seasons. many of the people in hollywood that work on the show, actors, a production staff, they rely on the show for their livelihood. they also wondered what would be happening with the future. >> this is "gmt." unconfirmed reports from libya said that colonel gaddafi spoke of rebels but the offer was rejected. at least 20 people are killed and dozens injured as a car bomb explodes in a pakistani city. time for the business news. there are worries on wall street? >> people quaking in their shoes.

trials getting under way in new york revolving around one of the biggest insider-trading investigations ever to hit wall street. accused of making $45 million on secret information, michele has the report from new york. some of the biggest names in the u.s. financial world. >> these days he is spending most of his time with his lawyers. the founder of the galley and hedge fund is accused of running an insider trades -- insider- trading ring. charges that he denies. what's going to jail for decades of fee is convicted. everyone beneath him turned state's evidence. he has a very difficult case. >> lloyd glenn climb as on the

list of witnesses, the chief executive of goldman sachs. he is one of the men accused of passing tips. henry budget expressed surprise at the number of wall street elite in the scandal. >> i am shocked at the fact that a goldman board member has been accused of what he has been accused of doing. picking up a phone and calling a hedge fund second after a board meeting. something that a junior trainee when understand is horrifying. >> in financial circles they are paying close attention. information is the lifeblood of traders did. there is a fine line between acting on tips and acting on private information.

high-profile witnesses and recordings are said to be involved. it is said to be the biggest insider-trading case ever in the united states and the outcome could influence of business is done on wall street. -- how business is done on wall street. what is the leader of the ivory coast bridges -- has recently announced that his government will control all cocoa exports. a ban on cocoa exports instigated by the united nations has been enforced since january. it was in an attempt to describe his a minute -- take away resources from his administration. taking a dive down self, members

bell and one-third of 1% on the asian markets. we saw the gains making up losses from yesterday. centex, just over 1%. >> see you later. thank you. today is international women's day. in egypt, a demonstration has been organized for the constitutional council that was established. taken to terrier square in cairo, so much across the arab world in recent weeks, how have arab women been affected? we are joined from our new york studio by an egyptian woman. how much do you think that this

recent wave of rebelliousness has affected arab women? >> i think that in egypt there has been tremendous empowerment. this is a revolution, not a gender issue and as well as the direction that the country goes >> ngo has issued a statement in the fact is that there was simple space created completely focused on women as citizens and the partnership that everyone feels. there is a specter, to a large degree, coming from egypt.

on the whole it is brilliant. >> it has actually changed the relationship between men and women? but >> yes. that is a very broad statement. the fact is that in the circumstances that the country has been in, the relationship between men and women in public spaces has become fraught and tense. this ended in the square, where people came together in partnership as equal citizens. >> how far does this acceptability go? is it likely that women are going to have a place in the council in the future? >> they definitely will. this council has no consensus. it is temporary and was put together by the armed forces to

affect a minor changes in the constitution. eventually end very soon, and women will be well represented on it. >> what about the various groups that want a say in the new leadership? but they'll be friendly towards women? -- will they be friendly towards women? >> we have had a woman's movement there since 1818. really, in terms of though wall and the policies of the country -- really, in terms of the laws and policies of the country, we are all in the same place as many in the world.

it is not in every household didn't and take part in domestic duties. and there are professions that are difficult for women to get into, like surgery. however, one-third of the diplomatic corps is women. more than 50% of the women in the arts are women. really, there is absolutely no question other than women having a place, a big place, in any of the institutions that have come into place. >> thank-you to speak -- thank you for speaking with me. that is it for this edition of "gmt." unconfirmed reports of colonel gaddafi speaking with rebels about standing down, then rejecting it.

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